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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shet 1.

' G. H. DAVIS.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

No. 605,663. Patented June 14, 1898.

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O. H. DAVIS. ELECTRIC RAILWAY. No. 605,663. Patented June 14, I898.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 C.'H. DAVIS.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

No. 605,663. Patented June 14, 1898.

WITNESSES:

b ['Z 0%4/ I W ATTOR N EY UNITED STATES PATENT EErcE.

CHARLES H. .DAVIS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,663, dated June 14, 1898.

Application filed November 2, 1897. $erial No. 657,167. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. DAVIS, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to make it possible to operate'with safety electric-railway trains running at high speeds and short headway.

The invention is here shown embodied in an electric railway having a track and a third rail, wherein the third rail is composed of insulated divisions with which contact is made by the moving vehicle or train successively, circuit being established with the track through the train-motor. The electrical connections are such and their control is such that both the division of the third rail with which the train is making contact and the division immediately in advance thereof are live; but in rear of thetrain there are always one or more divisions which are dead.

My invention further consists in an electric railway as described in the preceding paragraph, having beside it a series of signalstations. The relation of the signal system to the divided third rail is such that followin g a given train there are always one or more divisions on which there is no current and also two or more set danger-signals separated by intervals of one division each- In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 to 5 are diagrams illustrating my invention, showing symbolically the relative position and relation of the signals, the trains, and the live and dead divisions of the third rail. Fig. 6 shows a signal-station in elevation, a vehicle on the track, and the means for es' tablishing electrical connection between the vehicle and third rail. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the signal and electrical connections with the insulated sections E F of the third rail.

Fig. 8 is a cross-section of the box on the signal-pole, showing the electrical connections therein for conveying the current from the feeder L to the rail-sections. Fig. 9 is' an electrical diagramshowing the connections between the feeder-line and the signals and the thirdi-ail and also the interlocking mecharmed signal, showing a simple mode of operating the same by hand.

Similar letters and numbers of reference indicate like parts.

A B represent the track.

OD represent the third rail, which may be consideredas divided into block-sections, one of which, X, is included between thelines m 'y. A part of the succeeding section is shown at Y. Each section is divided into four subsections, as E F, G H, and I J. The length of each subsection is to be such as that a train running at maximum speed and minimum headway may be brought to a stop by its brakes or other means provided for the purpose within that length. At the bound- .aries of the sections and subsectionsare placed signal-stations, of which I here show seven, numbered, consecutively, l to 7, inclusive.

At each station there is a safety-signal and a danger-signal. These may be the ordinary semaphore-arms,colored red for danger and white for safety. The red signal, as usual when displayed, indicates that the subsection ahead is blocked; the white signal that said subsection is open. The construction of each signal device at each station is to be such that the danger and safety signals cannot be displayed in predetermined position-as, for example, near the track-at the same time, and also such that the danger-signal must be displayed as many times less one as there are subsections in a section before a safety-signal can be shownthat is to say, if, as here represented, there are four subsections in each section then the danger-signal must be displayed three times before the safety-signal can be displayed once. One way of accomplishing this is illustrated in the accompanying diagram. Four radial semaphorearms 8 d cl 01 may be rotated by any suitable means to bring any one arm in predetermined display positionsay horizontallyT-near the track. Obviously only one ar m can thus be shown at a time. The four-armedsemaphore may also be arranged so that it can be turned in only one directionsay froinleftto rightas indicated by the, curved arrc w.' v Obviously, then, after the arm 8 has been once displayed it. cannot again be shown until the three arms dd (Z have been successively exhibited. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to this particular arrangement of semaphore-arms, which is here merely illustrative.

The signal device at every station and the three signal devices next adjacent thereto are connected together by any known inter locking mechanism, electrical or mechanical, which is constructed so that the safety-arm s cannot be displayed unless a danger-arm (Z (1 (Z of the other associated signal-stations is simultaneously shown. Thus the signal 7, Fig. 2, is connected by the interlocking devices, as indicated, by the line Z) to signal 6, by the line c to signal 5, and by the line It to signal 1-. Similarly the signal 6 is connected by the interlocking devices, as indicated, by the line c to signal 5, by the linef to signal 4;, and by the line 1 to signal The same is true for all the other signals, the connectinglines being omitted in the diagram to avoid complication.

In Figs. 1 to 5, U T N represent trains following each other upon the line. U U U" represent successive positions of the train U. T T T T represent successive positions of the train T.

Considering Fig. 1, it will be seen that the arm 3 of signal 5 is displayed and that si 111 ultaneously the danger-arms d (1 (Z of signals 2, 3, and t are also displayed.

T, Fig. 1, represents a train proceeding in the direction of the arrow. The signal 1 is set at safety. The operation of the system is then as follows: Train T passes signal 1 and comes upon subsection E, as shown at '1 in Fig. 2. Signal 1 now turns ahead to exhibit danger-arm (Z and signal 2 shows its safety arm The train advances to position T on subsection F, Fig. Signals 1 and 2 exhibit their danger-arms (Z and (Z and signal 3 its safety-arm s. The train advances to position Ton subsection G, Fig. 1-. Signal 4 can now be set to exhibit its safety-arm .9, because signals 1, 2, and 3 each exhibit a danger-arm (Z (1' (P. The train advances to position T on subsection II, Fig. 5. Signal 5 can now be set at safety, because signals 4. 3 2 all exhibit their danger-arms, and as there are three danger-signals exhibited in rear of signal 5 signal 1 can be set at safety to allow a following train N, Fig. 5, to come upon the line. The result, therefore, is that as any given train advances danger-signals are set in three subsections ahead of it and danger-signals set in three subsections behind it. The safety-signal at 5 cannot be set to let the train pass from section X to section Y until three signals i 3 2 all show danger. The safety-signal at 1 cannot be set to let the train N pass upon section X unless the three signals in rear of: 1 all show danger. A train in advance cannot leave the last subsection of a blockscction X until the danger-signals are set in the three following subsections, and a following train cannot come upon that block-section until the preceding train leaves it nor without setting danger-signals in the three subsections in rear of it.

The third rail C D is physically divided into the subsections E F G 11, &c., which subse tions are insulated from one another.

L is the feeder-line from the source of current, which communicates by branches m to the several signal-stations. Circuit is closed through the motor of train T from any subsection, as E F G, which is live, with the track by any convenient contact device, such as a brush or wiper M, bearing upon said third rail.

The relation of the branch feeders m to the rail-sections and the signal devices is such that when any signal is set at lange1" circuit is broken from branch to rail, but when any signal is set at safety circuit is made from a branch feeder to the two subsections of rail immediately adjacent to the signal-station. I have indicated this in the diagram by showing a cireuitclosing spring 0 on arm 5. Thus in Fig. 2, signal 2, the spring 0 bears on rail-sections F it. Of course this is merely symbolical and shows the relations and not the actual constructions of parts.

eferring now to Fig. 2, the train is on subsection E, which is live, and because nal 2 is at safety it can pass to subsection F, which is also live; but subsection G is not live, so that even if the danger-signal at 3 should be disregarded the train could go no farther than its momentum would carry it upon subsection G, for there it would get no current, and this would be true of subsection H. If, however, signal 3 be set at safety when the train comes on subsection F, (T Fig. 3,) then subsections F and G become live and subsection E is cut out. Thus it will be seen that as a train comes up to a signal, if that signal be at safety, the subsections on both sides thereof are live; but in advance of these two live sections there are two dead subsections, and in rear of these two live sect-ions are two dead subsections. The full protection afforded by my system to the moving train can now be recognized as follows: Following the train (T, Fig. 1-,) so to speak, there are always two subsections of third railwhereon there is no current and also three dangersignals withintervalsofa subsectionbetween. The capacity of a given railway-line, as here illustrated, in number of trains therefore depends upon four times the length in which a train can be stopped without danger to the passengers, and this capacity will of course vary with the number of subsections provided in each section.

Referring now to Figs. 6, 7, S, and f), I therein show certain specific means for carrying my invention (symbolically illustrated in Figs. 1 to into practical effect. In Fig. 0 the four-armed signal is shown with the safetyarm .9 in display position. T, as before, represents a train or vehicle running on the track 13. The driving-motor is shown symbolically at a and receives current from the third rail a, through the brush M, while also communicating with the ground through the trucks and track B. In Fig.7, in which the parts are shown in plan, E F are sections of the third rail insulated from each other at n and respectively connected by wires 0 to the contact-brush p, which is located in a box (1 on the signal-pole 1'. Upon the shaft if of the four-armed signal is a sleeve it, having a projecting arm 0), which when the signal is set, as shown, with the safety-arm s displayed makes electrical contact with the contactbrush 1). Also in the box q and bearing on the sleeve to is a spring 20, which connects by wire m with the feeder L. When the signal is set as represented, circuit is therefore closed from feeder L by wire m to sleeve u, arm 3, brush p, and wires 0 to the third-rail sections E F. In this way I practically produce the result referred to illustratively in Figs. 1 to as caused by the circuit-closing spring 0.-

The interlocking mechanism connecting the several signals is illustrated in electrical diagram in Fig. 9, which also shows the branch feeders m connecting the signals with the main feeder L and the wires 0 as connecting the signals with the sections of the third rail, as already described.

Referring to Fig. 7, the signal-arms d 01 &c., are mounted on a shaft which is journaled in the box g, which shaft carries a barrel a, from the periphery of which projects pins, one of which is shown in Fig. 7 at b. WVithin the box q are contact-springs, normally separated, but which when the barrel rotates in certain definite positions through the turning of the signal-arms are pressed together by the pinsb, thus establishing an electrical circuit from the feeder L by wayof the wire 0 through the springs and then'by wire 6 to a return-wire L, which wire may be connected to ground by the Wire represented in dotted lines at g in Fig. 9, this wire being here shown as connected tothe track.

Referring to Fig. 9, the barrel a, belonging to each signal, as 1 2 3 4, is shown developed opposite that signal, and adjacent to the barrel are shown the contact-springs, before referred to. Thus opposite signal 4 in Fig. 9 barrel a is so turned that one contact-pin b closes contact between thesprings 8 and 9, while at the same timethe springs 10 and 11 are not pressed together. Opposite signal 3 the barrel a is so placed that the springs 12 and 13 and 14 and 15 are pressed together, while the springs 16 and 17 are open. Opposite signal 2 the barrel 0. is so placed that the springs 18 and 19 and 20 and 21 are pressed together, while the springs 22 and 23 are open. Oppositeto signal 1 the barrel a is so placed that the springs 24 and 25 and 26 and 27 are pressed together. These positions of the barrel and these closings and openings of the springs correspond, of course, to the positions of the signals 1 2 3 4 shown in Fig. 9." If the signals should be put in some other position, then the closing and opening of the springs would be different and correspond to that new position,

as will hereinafter be more clearly explained. Also on the shaft of each signal are lookingwheels, as 28 29 30 31. Adapted to engage with these wheels are pivoted dogs 32 33 34 35. Each dog is disposed in front of an electromagnet 36 37 38 39 and forms thearmature of that magnet, so that when the magnet is excited the dog is drawn up and out of engagement with the locking-wheel, so that the signal-shaft is then free and may be turned by any suitable means.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a vehicle or train T as having just passed the signal 3 and as coming to the signal 4. The signals 1 and 2 have already been set to danger in rear of the train, and it is now necessary to set the signal 4 to safety to allow the train to pass while setting signal 3to danger in rear of the train. It is obvious that this can be done, because circuit is made from the feeder L through the magnet 36 and springs 8 and 9, 12 and 13, 18 and 19, and 24 and 25. The signal 4 is then turned a quarter-turn to the right, bringing the arm 3 into danger position. The effect of so turning the signal is to break contact be: tween the springs 8 and 9 and establish contact between the springs 10 and 11. This makes circuit from the feeder L through the magnet 37 and springs 10 and 11 and 14 and 15, thus energizing magnet 37, causing it to lift its ar-. mature 33, thus freeing the wheel 39, so that signal 3 may then be turned a quarter-turn forward,which is to place it in danger position. The effect of turning signal 3 a quarterturn forward is to establish connection between the springs 16 and 17 and break it between the pairs of springs 12 and 13 and 14 and 15. Circuit is then made from the feeder L through the magnet 38, springs 16 and 17 and 20 and 21. Therefore magnet 38 is energized, raising the dog 34 and permitting the signal 2 to be turned a quarter-turn in ad- The turning of signal 2 establishes connection .betweensprings 22 and 23 and.breaks it between springs 20 and 21. Circuit is then made from feeder L through the magnet 39, springs 22 and 23 and 26 and 27, thus allowing signall to be turned a quarter-turnahead, which will result in still keeping that signal so as to display danger. This brings signal 1 into position, so that its next movement forward will be to display the safety-arm.

The operation of this interlocking mechanism is fully set forth in another application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 664,195, filed by me December 29, 1897, and therefore said mechanism is-not herein specifically claimed.

In order to prevent large expenditure of current through the interlocking devices, I introduce into the wires 0 suitable resistances, (indicated at h.) i

In lieu of dividing the third rail into insulated sections I may divide an insulated track into insulated sections and make contact with a grounded continuous third rail.

vance, thus keeping that signal at danger.

loo

IIO

The term line as used in the claims means either a track and a third rail divided into insulated sections, as described, or an insulated track divided into insulated sections and a continuous grounded third rail or any equivalent arrangement.

The four-armed signal may be operated by hand in the manner hereinbefore set out by means of the following simple mechanism: ()11 the shaft of the arms d (1*, &c., is a sprocket-wheel A and on the signal-post E there is a similar sprocket-wheel B A chain belt C passes over both of these sprocketwheels. By rotating the sprocket-wheel B by means of the crank D the sign alarins m ay be rotated and adjusted as described.

I claim 1. In an electrical railway a line divided into insulated divisions, signal devices respeetively located between the successive divisions, means for actuating said signal devices snccessively to give a definite indication, and means controlled by each signal de vice for then establishing electrical circuit in the line-di"isions between which it is located, substantially as described.

2. In an electrical railway, a line divided into insulated divisions, signal devices respectively located between successive divisions,each device being constructed to exhibit a danger-signal and a safety-signal, and means controlled by each signal device for establishing current in the two line-divisions between which said device is located, when the safety-signal of that device is exhibited, substantially as described.

3. In an electrical railway a line divided into insulated divisions, a signal device associated with each division and constructed to exhibit a danger-signal and a safety-signal, and means controlled by said signal device for interrupting electrical circuit through the associated line-division when the dangersignal of that device is exhibited, substantially as described.

l. In an electrical railway, a line divided into insulated sections, each section having two or more insulated subsections, signal-stations located at the boundaries of said sections and subsections, a signal apparatus located at each substation and constructed (1) to exhibit a danger-signal. and a safety-signal to show said danger-sigl'lal successively as many times less one as there are substations in each section before said safetysignal can be displayed (3) to establish current in the two subsections between which said apparatus is located when said safetysignal is displayed, and interlocking devices connecting said signal-station with as many signal-stations next adjacent thereto as equal in number the number of subsections less one; the said interlocking devices being constructed and operating so that the safetysignal of one station cannot be displayed until the danger-signals of the aforesaid adjacent signal-stations are first shown, substantially as described.

CHARLES H. DAVIS.

\Vitnesses:

FREEMAN C. BARTLE'IT, II. R. MoLLER. 

